Nicole Holofcener

Though some filmmakers would rather make movies about space travel or serial killers, writer-director Nicole Holofcener instead chose to draw from her own life to create more personal films inhabited...
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'Enough Said' Is the Romantic Comedy Audiences Deserve

Fox Searchlight
Over the past few years, there have been a great deal of conversations and think pieces dedicated to the "death" of the romantic comedy as a genre. Every time a major studio rom-com fails to impress at the box office, the discussion is rehashed once more, and critics again come to the conclusion that nobody is interested in your standard "two good looking people fall in love after snarking at each other for two hours and an unrealistic and clichèd grand gesture" fare. But the reason that audiences have moved on from those previous box office staples isn't that the rom-com is dead, it's simply that audiences have realized that they deserve something better, something smarter. Something a lot like Enough Said.
Nicole Holofcener's latest film wasn't marketed like your traditional rom-com, and instead targeted a more mature audience, which may have been why so many people missed out on the bittersweet charm that made the film so funny and enjoyable. Starting on February 11, Redbox Instant by Verizon is offering Enough Said for rental — conveniently, just in time for Valentine's Day. Enough Said follows Eva (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), a massage therapist, who bonds with Albert (James Gandolfini) over a similar sense of humor and their daughters' impending departures for college. However, Eva's newest client and friend Marianne (Catherine Keener) is Albert's ex-wife, who uses their appointments together to vent about all of the ways that he drove her crazy, which begins to color the way Eva views her new relationship.
What makes Enough Said so appealing as a rom-com is how real and relatable it is. There are no grand gestures, or long, romantic speeches bolstered by swelling background music. Instead of a candlelit dinner followed by a moonlit stroll, Albert and Eva share bagels and mimosas before having their first kiss on his back stoop. Gandolfini doesn't look like the typical romantic lead, a fact that the script acknowledges, but that's not what makes Albert attractive. It's his laid-back charm, his wit and his intelligence that makes him so enticing to both Eva and the audience. For her part, Eva's not the standard "nearly flawless, learning to let go and embrace love" rom-com heroine. She's neurotic and awkward, unable to separate Marianne's disdain of Albert from the man she finds herself surprisingly happy with. She's flawed, but trying, and when her relationship with Albert is tested, the hurdles aren't effortlessly swept to the side in favor of a neat resolution.
It's not as if Enough Said doesn't have any standard rom-com tropes, but they're handled in a way that feels grounded in realism, and, most importantly, doesn't pander to the audience. The comedy comes from the way the characters approach conflicts and attempt to rescue themselves from absurd situations, rather than from slapstick-y humor designed to force the romantic leads together. The humor works so well because it feels so relatable — who hasn't contemplated hiding behind a bush to avoid an awkward conversation? — and it proves that rom coms can be successful and can appeal to audiences if they're approached with wit and grounded in something solid. Enough Said may not have been marketed as a rom com, but it is a perfect example of the rom coms that audiences deserve. All of its heart and charm comes from the fact that moviegoers will be able to see themselves in these characters and situations, and because it doesn't feel the need to dumb itself down in order to deliver a charming love story. If studios and filmmakers want to revive the genre, they need look no further than Enough Said for a guide to a better rom-com.
Enough Said is just one of the many films worth catching up on that will be available through Redbox Instant starting in February. Check out the full list, below:
At the Kiosk... Closed Circuit (available 2/4)Escape Plan (available 2/4)Runner Runner (available 2/4)Carrie (available 2/11)Ender’s Game (available 2/11)Enough Said (available 2/11)Riddick (available 2/11)All is Lost (available 2/11)Machete Kills (available 2/18)Thor: The Dark World (available 2/25)Nebraska (available 2/25)
Available to stream or rent via Redbox Instant...Dallas Buyers Club (available 2/4)Free Birds (available 2/4)About Time (available 2/4)Best Man Holiday (available 2/11)Gravity (available 2/25)Clean Guys of ComedyTyler Perry's TemptationRocky 1-5
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FOX Searchlight
Before we find out which films are going to receive Oscar nominations this year, we must first see which films the critics have been heralding as the best of 2013. Several film critics associations released their award winners over the weekend, which resulted in recognition for films that are considered to be front-runners, as well as smaller films that have been critically-acclaimed but have not received as much attention as some of their counterparts. Perhaps most interestingly, these minor associations have been spreading out their accolades amongst a wide variety of films, which could mean that there won't be one film sweeping up the awards come Oscar night.
We took a look at several of the major awards categories to see if we could predict the Oscar nominations and winners based on the films that won awards from the Boston Society of Film Critics, the Washington DC Film Critics Association, the L.A. Film Critics Association and the New York Film Critics online.
Best FilmThree different critics associations — Boston Society of Film Critics, Washington D.C. Film Critics Association, and New York Film Critics Online — awarded the top prize to 12 Years A Slave, which has long been considered to be the front-runner for Best Picture at the Oscars. It's received critical acclaim as well as proven itself to have a great deal of audience appeal, and has managed to bridge the gap between the two audiences well, and earned high praise from both parties. The film's multiple wins seem to have solidified its status as the Oscar race's front-runner, as the combination of critical awards and the strong, visceral reaction that it has inspired in moviegoers means that it is not only a lock for a nomination, but is the expected winner as well. Meanwhile, the L.A. Film Critics Association went in a different direction, and awarded Best Film to both Gravity and Her. Gravity was considered a major Oscar contender when it first arrived in theaters, as its combination of strong performances and massive box office success made it the focus of a great deal of awards speculation. However, it has not been able to translate that buzz into any award wins. It's very likely to receive a nomination for Best Picture, as well as a Best Actress nod for Sandra Bullock, but it doesn't seem likely cause an upset on Oscar night. Her, meanwhile, was also awarded the top prize by the National Board of Review, and these awards have solidified the film's chances at being recognized by the Academy. Like Gravity, though, its high probability of a nomination doesn't seem likely to result in a surprise win.
Best Actor 12 Years' star Chiwetel Ejiofor was awarded Best Actor by critics in Boston, D.C., and New York, which is unsurprising since, like his film, he has been considered the frontrunner for months now. However, the Best Actor race at the Oscars is a bit harder to predict than Best Picture. Ejiofor is a lock for a nomination, but the sheer amount of critically acclaimed performances in recent films make it hard to estimate the likelihood of him taking home the award. He's still likely perceived as the one to beat come Oscar night, but there's a chance that he could be edged out by L.A. Film Critics Association winner Bruce Dern. Although Dern's film, Nebraska, hasn't received the kind of press attention that 12 Years a Slave has, Dern's performance has topped many critics' lists, and it seems highly likely that he will receive an Oscar nomination for his work. Dern could even manage to pull an upset on Oscar night, as there's a chance that the Academy might want to recognize his long, highly acclaimed career.
Best ActressIn a category that is crowded with major contenders, most of whom are previous Oscar winners, the only one who seems to be a lock is Cate Blanchett, whose performance in Blue Jasmine was awarded by all four critics associations. Blanchett's performance has received rave reviews, and she appears to be the one to beat on Oscar night. The only actress who seems likely to upset Blanchett is Adèle Exarchopoulos, star of Blue is the Warmest Color. Exarchopoulos actually tied for the L.A. critics' prize, and the amount of buzz that the film and her performance have received mean that only she and Blanchett are the definite contenders for the award this year. Unless they both manage to be upset by Emma Thompson or Meryl Streep, it seems as if this year, the Academy will mostly be deciding between awarding a promising newcomer or a previous winner.
Best Director The directing awards this weekend were split between Alfonso Cuaron for Gravity, who received three awards, and Steve McQueen, who was the favorite of the Boston Film Critics Association. Both of them are considered to be the major contenders for the Oscar this year, but its still hard to predict which one will take the award home. It's likely that Best Director would be the only major award that Gravity will walk away with, and the film's technical developments and incredible performances mean that Cuaron is deserving of the prize. However, the universal appeal and acclaim of 12 Years a Slave could swing in McQueen's favor, plus, it would be a historical moment, as a win would make McQueen the first African American man to win Best Director. Of course, there's also a chance that underdog Spike Jonze could upset them both, as his film Her has been quietly winning critics' awards. Jonze was the L.A. Film Critics runner up, and he seems highly likely to earn an Oscar nomination, which solidifies him as a possible contender.
Best Screenplay Her was the big winner for this category, winning awards from the New York and D.C. contingents. The Boston and L.A. favorites, Enough Said by Nicole Holofcener and Before Midnight by Julie Delpy and Richard Linklater, respectively, represent that this category, more than the others, is wide open when it comes to possible nominations. Enough Said and Before Midnight were both considered to be major contenders when they hit theaters over the summer, but until now have been unable to translate that into any awards recognition. Meanwhile, Jonze has proven himself to be a significant presence in the screenplay race, and it's likely that he will receive nomination come Oscar time. However, with no real front-runner so far, it's hard to predict who will go home the winner. It's anyone's game at this point.
Best Foreign FilmDespite Blue Is the Warmest Color being considered the far-and-away favorite to win the Oscar, some significant competition has recently emerged in the form of The Great Beauty, Wadjida, and The Broken Circle Breakdown. All three won awards over the weekend — Wadjida was the favorite of Boston critics, The Broken Circle Breakdown was loved by DC critics, and The Great Beauty took home the top prize at the European Film Awards — which seems to solidify the Oscar race for Best Foreign Picture. And while Blue is still considered a lock to take home the award, it could have been hurt by much of the negative press that has followed it since Cannes, which might allow one of those three films to sneak in and cause an upset. If any of them do pull it off, it will likely be The Great Beauty, which was the LA critics' runner up, and will only be helped by its major win at the European Film Awards.
Check out the full list of winners, below.
THE WASHINGTON, D.C. FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION WINNERS 2013
Best Film12 Years a SlaveBest DirectorAlfonso Cuarón (Gravity)Best ActorChiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave)Best ActressCate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine)Best Supporting ActorJared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club)Best Supporting ActressLupita Nyong'o (12 Years a Slave)Best Acting Ensemble12 Years a SlaveBest Youth PerformanceTye Sheridan (Mud)Best Adapted ScreenplayJohn Ridley (12 Years a Slave)Best Original ScreenplaySpike Jonze (Her)Best Animated FeatureFrozenBest DocumentaryBlackfishBest Foreign Language FilmThe Broken Circle BreakdownBest Art DirectionProduction Designer Catherine Martin, Set Decorator Beverley Dunn (The Great Gatsby)Best CinematographyEmmanuel Lubezki, ASC, A.M.C. (Gravity)Best EditingAlfonso Cuarón, Mark Sanger (Gravity)Best Original ScoreHans Zimmer (12 Years a Slave)The Joe Barber Award for Best Portrayal of Washington, DCLee Daniels' The Butler
BOSTON SOCIETY OF FILM CRITICS WINNERS 2013
Best Picture12 Years a Slave
Best Actor Chiwetel Ejiofor for 12 Years a Slave
Best Actress Cate Blanchett for Blue Jasmine
Best Supporting Actor James Gandolfini for Enough Said
Best Supporting Actress June Squibb for Nebraska
Best Director Steve McQueen for 12 Years a Slave
Best ScreenplayNicole Holofcener for Enough Said
Best CinematographyEmmanuel Lubezki for Gravity
Best Documentary The Act of Killing
Best Foreign-Language FilmWadjida
Best Animated Film The Wind Rises
Best Film Editing (awarded in memory of Karen Schmeer) Daniel P. Hanley and Mike HillforRush
Best New Filmmaker (awarded in memory of David Brudnoy) Ryan Coogler for Fruitvale Station
Best Ensemble CastNebraska
Best Use of Music in a FilmInside Llewyn Davis
L.A. FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION WINNERS 2013
BEST FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM:Blue Is the Warmest ColorRunner-up: The Great Beauty
BEST PICTURE (tie):Gravity and Her
BEST ACTRESS (tie):Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine and Adèle Exarchopoulos, Blue Is the Warmest Color
BEST SCREENPLAY:Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke, Before MidnightRunner-up: Spike Jonze, Her
BEST ACTOR:Bruce Dern, NebraskaRunner-up: Chiwetel Ejiofor, 12 Years a Slave
BEST DIRECTOR:Alfonso Cuarón, GravityRunner-up: Spike Jonze, Her
BEST DOCUMENTARY:Stories We TellRunner-up: The Act of Killing
Douglas Edwards Independent/Experimental Film/Video Award:Cabinets Of Wonder: Films and a Performance by Charlotte Pryce
BEST MUSIC SCORE:T Bone Burnett, Inside Llewyn DavisArcade Fire and Owen Pallett, Her
BEST ANIMATION, Ernest &amp; CelestineRunner-up: The Wind Rises
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR (tie):James Franco, Spring Breakers, and Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY:Emmanuel Lubezki, Gravity Runner-up, Bruno Delbonnel, Inside Llewyn Davis
BEST EDITING:Alfonso Cuarón and Mark Sanger, GravityRunner-up: Shane Carruth and David Lowery, Upstream Color
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:Lupita Nyong’o, 12 Years a SlaveRunner-up: June Squibb, Nebraska
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN:K.K. Barrett, HERRunner-up: Jess Gonchor, Inside Llewyn DavisNEW GENERATION Prize:Megan Ellison
LEGACY OF CINEMA:The Criterion Collection
SPECIAL CITATION:12 Years a Slave
NEW YORK FILM CRITICS ONLINE WINNERS 2013
Best Picture12 Years a Slave
Ensemble CastAmerican Hustle
Best DirectorAlfonso Cuaron, Gravity
Best ScreenplaySpike Jonze, Her
Best ActressCate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine
Best ActorChiwetel Ejiofor, 12 Years a Slave
Best Supporting ActressLupita Nyong’o, 12 Years a Slave
Best Supporting ActorJared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club
DocumentaryThe Act of Killing
Animated FeatureThe Wind Rises
Foreign LanguageBlue is the Warmest Color
Breakthrough PerformanceAdèle Exarchopoulos, Blue is the Warmest Color
CinematographyEmmanuel Lubezki, Gravity
Use of MusicT Bone Bunett, Inside Llewyn Davis
Debut DirectorRyan Coogler, Fruitvale Station
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IFC Films
As the winds of award show nominations pick up, you won't be surprised to find 12 Years a Slave at the top of every list. But the Academy, the Golden Globes, and the various other captains of the circuit are inclined to overlook some of our smaller, more personal favorites in lieu of the big, grand, and wholly unavoidable awardable pictures like Steven McQueen's American slavery epic. That is not to rob 12 Years of Slave of its due credit — the film absolutely deserves as much awards attention as it is getting. It's simply the sort of movie that you know will get awards attention right out of the gate... whereas pictures just as pristine such as Noah Baumbach and Greta Gerwig's Frances Ha, likely won't be the center of attention come Oscar night. But that's what the Independent Spirit Awards are for: to recognize the movies that we cherish with intimacy rather than with grandeur. Among them are Frances Ha, new release Nebraska, Robert Redford's nearly wordless All Is Lost (also a viable candidate for the Academy, due to its own dezzling veneer), the Coen Bros' upcoming Inside Llewyn Davis, and, yes, of course, 12 Years a Slave.
Check out the full list of nods below.
BEST FEATURE 12 Years A Slave All Is Lost Frances Ha Inside Llewyn Davis Nebraska
BEST LEAD FEMALE Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine Julie Delpy, Before Midnight Gaby Hoffman, Crystal Fairy Brie Larson, Short Term 12 Shailene Woodley, The Spectacular Now
BEST LEAD MALE Bruce Dern, Nebraska Chiwetel Ejiofor, 12 Years A Slave Oscar Isaac, Inside Llewyn Davis Michael B. Jordan, Fruitvale Station Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club Robert Redford, All Is Lost
BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE Melonie Diaz, Fruitvale StationSally Hawkins, Blue Jasmine Lupita Nyong'o, 12 Years A Slave Yolanda Ross, Go For Sisters June Squibb, Nebraska
BEST SUPPORTING MALE Michael Fassbender, 12 Years A Slave Will Forte, Nebraska James Gandolfini, Enough Said Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club Keith Stanfield, Short Term 12
BEST DIRECTOR Shane Carruth, Upstream Color J.C. Chandor, All Is Lost Steve McQueen, 12 Years A Slave Jeff Nichols, Mud Alexander Payne, Nebraska
BEST FIRST FEATUREBlue Caprice Concussion Fruitvale Station Una Noche Wadjda
JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD Computer Chess Crystal Fairy Museum Hours Pit Stop This Is Martin Bonner
BEST SCREENPLAY Woody Allen, Blue Jasmine Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke, Richard Linklater, Before Midnight Nicole Holofcener, Enough Said Scott Neustadter &amp; Michael H. Weber, The Spectacular Now John Ridley, 12 Years A Slave
BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY Lake Bell, In A World Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Don Jon Bob Nelson, Nebraska Jill Soloway, Afternoon Delight Michael Starburry, The Inevitable Defeat Of Mister &amp; Pete
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHYSean Bobbitt, 12 Years A Slave Benoit Debie, Spring Breakers Bruno Delbonnel, Inside Llewyn Davis Frank G. Demarco, All Is Lost Matthias Grunsky, Computer Chess
BEST EDITING Shane Carruth &amp; David Lowery, Upstream Color Jem Cohen &amp; Marc Vives, Museum Hours Jennifer Lame, Frances Ha Cindy Lee, Una Noche Nat Sanders, Short Term 12
BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM A Touch Of Sin Blue Is The Warmest ColorGloriaThe Great Beauty The Hunt
BEST DOCUMENTARYThe Act Of Killing After Tiller Gideon's ArmyThe Square Twenty Feet From Stardom
PIAGET PRODUCERS AWARDToby Halbrooks &amp; James M. JohnsonJacob JaffkeAndrea RoaFerderick Thornton
TRUER THAN FICTION AWARDS Kalyanee Mam, A River Changes Course Jason Osder, Let The Fire Burn Stephanie Spray &amp; Pancho Valez, Manakamana
SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARDS Aaron Douglas Johnston, My Sisters' Quinceanera Shaka King, Newlyweeds Madeleine Olnek, The Foxy Merkins
ROBERT ALTMAN AWARDMud

James Gandolfini's wife and family members scored a private screening of the actor's final film weeks before it opened at the Toronto International Film Festival in Canada on 7 September (13). Deborah Lin and those closest to The Sopranos star joined director Nicole Holofcener for the special showing of Enough Said.
The filmmaker tells The Hollywood Reporter, "They really liked it. I'm so happy. They felt like they got to spend more time with him in a way that was close to what he really was."
Gandolfini passed away after suffering a heart attack while in Italy in June (13).

The New York premiere of new movie Enough Said earlier this week (begs16Sep13) turned into an unofficial tribute to the film's late star James Gandolfini, as friends and former co-stars watched one of his final performances. The movie was unveiled at the Paris Theatre on Monday night, when the cast and crew took time to pay tribute to The Sopranos actor, who passed away from a heart attack in Rome, Italy in June (13).
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who stars opposite Gandolfini in the comedy, says, "This is how great an actor Jim was: He was no Tony Soprano. This guy was a thoughtful, generous, sweet, self-effacing guy-like the character he plays in the film... I wish he was with me on this carpet at this very second."
Toni Collette, who also appears in the film, adds, "I think when the experience of making a film has been so buoyant and lovely and fun, you want to celebrate that experience and share it with the world. But also, the film is dedicated to Jim. He is so divine in the movie. It will be bittersweet."
Director Nicole Holofcener says, "And I'm very sad that he's not standing here with us. He hadn't seen the movie. Maybe he's watching."
Members of Gandolfini's family and The Sopranos creator David Chase were at the event, alongside his colleagues on the show, Edie Falco, Aida Turturro, Steven Schiripa and Tony Sirico.

"They're adorable together. The size disparity is really kind of charming too. He's like a bear, he can just hold her in his hand, his paw." Director Nicole Holofcener was captivated by the chemistry between Julia Louis-Dreyfus and the late James Gandolfini in new romantic comedy Enough Said.

Although we've begun to get used to the idea of film directors taking charge of the pilot episodes of new TV series to boost viewership (think Martin Scorsese for HBO's upcoming Boardwalk Empire), we've never seen a combination of directorial talents quite like this. According to Deadline, HBO has lined up a number of impressive film directors to helm episodes of the new Mike White comedy series Enlightened, including Academy Award-winner Jonathan Demme (Silence of the Lambs), John Cameron Mitchell (Hedwig and the Angry Itch), Phil Morrison (Junebug), and Miguel Arteta (Youth in Revolt). Each would direct an unspecified number of episodes for the first season.
Enlightened stars Luke Wilson (Middle Men, My Super Ex-Girlfriend) and Laura Dern (Recount, Jurassic Park) as a deadbeat and drug-addled husband and self-destructive wife, whose lives are changed when Dern has a spiritual awakening and begins trying to lead an enlightened life.
HBO has picked up the series for at least nine episodes, with writer-creator Mike White set to direct the pilot. Demme, possibly the biggest name director amongst the indie talent mentioned above, is on board for at least a couple episodes. That's heartening news for us as viewers and especially for Luke Wilson, who I hope may finally be leaving the 'AT&amp;T' phase of his career behind.
Source: Collider

Jonathan Levine has come on to direct Mandate Pictures' now untitled cancer comedy, which will star James McAvoy and Seth Rogen. Also joining the film is Anna Kendrick, a recent Golden Globe nominee for her turn in Up in the Air.
The project, previously titled I'm With Cancer, was to be directed by Nicole Holofcener, who dropped out in November. Levine's credits include The Wackness and All the Boys Love Mandy Lane.
Principal photography starts next month in Vancouver. Mandate International will commence pre-sales in Berlin in February.
Kendrick will play a psychologist assigned to a young man (McAvoy) who learns he has cancer. The character is based on the real experiences of screenwriter Will Reiser.
Rogen, Evan Goldberg and Ben Karlin are producing. Reiser is executive producing along with Mandate president Nathan Kahane. Mandate's Tendo Nagenda is co-producing.
Story: http://power.networksolutions.com/index.html

Amanda Peet is set to play the female lead in Roland Emmerich's epic disaster project 2012, says The Hollywood Reporter. She joins an ensemble cast led by John Cusack that includes Chiwetel Ejiofor, Thandie Newton, Danny Glover and Oliver Platt.
2012 centers on a global cataclysm and the struggle of its survivors. Peet will play Cusack's ex-wife who is newly married to a wealthy man. Cusack plays a divorced father trying to become a writer while working as a limo driver, the Reporter says.
Peet and Cusack previously appeared together in 2003’s Identity and last year’s Martian Child in which Platt appeared as well.
Barring an actors strike, the movie will shoot in July. The film is set for release in July next year.
Peet is currently shooting Nicole Holofcener's untitled comedy; Platt, too, has a role in the film. Peet will also appear in the upcoming X-Files movie.

Actress Jennifer Aniston is convinced her success as Rachel Green in hit sitcom Friends has hampered her movie career.
The star was thrilled to find fame with the hit series but admits after 10 years of TV stardom, she is struggling to distance her self from the character--despite the show having ended over two years ago.
And she is wildly grateful to Nicole Holofcener, the director of her new film Friends with Money, for giving her the chance to prove her onscreen diversity.
Speaking to British film magazine Hotdog, Aniston says, "Unfortunately there are re-runs everywhere.
"Fortunately, we have directors like Nicole in the world who don't give a s**t! That baggage didn't stop her seeing me as an actor."
Article Copyright World Entertainment News Network All Rights Reserved.

Wrote and directed first comic short, "It's Richard I Love," while attending Columbia University; later aired on PBS' "American Playhouse"

Nominated for the 2011 Independent Spirit Award for Best Screenplay ("Please Give")

Wrote and directed first feature "Walking and Talking," which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival; first collaboration with Catherine Keener

Wrote, directed and acted in the short film, "Angry"; premiered at the Sundance Film Festival

Helmed "Friends with Money," a drama about three married women, their husbands, and their lone single friend; earned an Independent Spirit Award Nomination for Best Screenplay

Summary

Though some filmmakers would rather make movies about space travel or serial killers, writer-director Nicole Holofcener instead chose to draw from her own life to create more personal films inhabited by realistic characters - a practice that often led to accusations of narcissism from film critics. Much like her influences Woody Allen and Albert Brooks, Holofcener used her own life experiences and possible real-life individuals as sources of inspiration, melding life and art often to the point of being indistinguishable. But such questions and criticisms were never much of a concern to Holofcener, who emerged from the Sundance Film Festival in 1996 with rave reviews for her feature debut, "Walking & Talking" - a slice-of-life drama that firmly established her autobiographical style and propelled her into one of independent film's more talked about directors.

Name

Role

Comments

Ben Allanoff

Husband

Filmed the documentary "What About Me?" about their marriage; divorced

Education

"My friendships have always been really important to me, like romances, and when I've broken up with girlfriends, it's been really dramatic." - Holofcener quoted in Interview magazine, September 1996

"Her stories were so banal, I thought, 'Well, if this little girl's problem about her period, or liking some boy and there's food in her teeth, if that can take me through chapter after chapter, then I can write about my stupid problems!'" - Holofcener on one of her creative influences, writer Judy Blume, to The Los Angeles Times, March 26, 2006